The Monitor Boys had an important visitor 150 years ago, today. William Keeler recalled that as Lincoln came alongside the Monitor, he saw Lincoln’s “lip quiver & his frame tremble with strong emotion & imagined that the terrible drama in these waters…was passing in review before him.”  Lincoln “examined everything about the vessel with care, manifesting [...]

Remarks Friday May 2nd 1862     Midnight to 4 A.M Calm & hazy weather                                                             Louis N. Stodder     From 4 to 8 A.M. Light & baffling airs from S.W. with pleasant weather                                                                                                                                                          Geo. Frederickson     From 8 to Meridian Light & baffling airs from S.W. to N.W with warm pleasant weather.                                                                                                                                                                                                  [...]

Log of US Steamer “Monitor”        Lieut. J.L. Worden Comdg H K F Courses Winds Force Bar Remarks 8th March 1862 1 5 SSW SSW NW 4 Comes in fine weather  At 3 AM crossed Chincoteague Shoals Gun Boats astern -Louis Stodder 2 5 “ “ 3 5 “ “ “ 4 5 “ “ “ [...]

  The Monitor began to encounter heavy weather as she labored down the coast from New York to Hampton Roads.  Water rushed in where it should not be.  The leather belts of the engine had grown sodden and stretched with the influx of sea water into the engineering spaces that with stretched belts, the ventilators were [...]

And so, she left Brooklyn, bound for Hampton Roads. Unbeknownst to the men on board, the Monitor had new orders that day – to go immediately to Washington, D.C. for the defense of the capital. A vessel had been dispatched to intercept the Monitor and deliver the new orders, but she was already too far away.  The [...]

Wednesday March 5th 1862   Comes in thick & hazy wind NE. from Midnight to 4 AM as above                                                                                                                               Geo Frederickson          From 4 to 8 AM cloudy & overcast, wind from N.E                                                                                                                                 Louis Stodder       From 8 to 12 AM wind & weather same, Mechanics at work on board [...]

Today would be the day they received their orders to travel south – to Hampton Roads.  Yet the logbook is strangely silent…. Tuesday March 4th 1862 From Midnight to 4 A.M. clear with light breeze from N.                                                                                                                 J. Webber   From 4 to 8 AM  wind and weather same                                                                                                             Louis N. [...]

Yippee!  My favorite logbook entry!   On March 3rd, 1862, the Monitor was ready for her next sea trials. The logbook for that day read thus:   Remarks March 3/62 From Midnight to 4 Am. Weather light & clear wind from N                                                                                                 G Frederickson   From 4 to 8 AM. Wind & weather same                   [...]

March 2 found the Monitor still undergoing preparations at the New York Navy Yard (commonly known as the Brooklyn Navy Yard). The sea trails of a few days before had not gone extremely well – Paymaster William Keeler recalled that on February 27 the Monitor had careened “first to the New York side, then to the Brooklyn [...]

Until this point, the Monitor‘s logbook was written by anonymous hands. But on March 1, 1862, the log takes on more personality. As we move further into the logbook entries, we’ll be introducing you to some of these men. But for now – here’s a glimpse into the Monitor‘s day, courtesy of Acting Master Louis [...]